Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-24
C0WED BY BAYONETS.
Collision at Trafalgar Square, London
Between Police and a Socialist
Mob.
A Large Number of Persons Injured
knives and Vitriol Freely Used.

The scene ut Trafalgar square has not
been equaled since 1866, when the people,
In attesting their right to public meet
lngs, destroyed the ratings of Hyde park
Early in the day 1000 policemen took
possession of the square and its ap-
proaches, prepared to hold it and pre-
vent the advertised meeting. Soon the
different clubs, associations, etc.. began
to arrive, after having marched through
the various districts, in which they be-
longed, headed by bands of music and
flying flags, banners, streamers, etc.
These detachnlents were composed of
socialists. radicals, Irish societies and a
few trades associations, and as fast as
they came to the square they were at
tackled and dispersed by the police, only
to reassen1bfe and press forward. Later,
as the crowos became more dense, fierce
tights were started between the police
and the mob in northumberland ave-
nue., Whitehall, Pail Mall and other ad-
jacent streets, in which the police were
uniformly the victors. One detachment
preceded by band, succeeded in getting
Into the SO uare and
BLOODY FIGHT
ensued, which ended finally in the re-
pulse of the 1ntruders and the injury of
many persons. With this detachment
was X. @. Graham, Liberal member of
parliament for Northwest Lanarkshire.
who was seriously hurt and subsequently,
arrested on charge of assaulting the
police. At 4:30 p. m. the crowd num-
bered easily 900 and became so per
fectly manifest that the police were pow
erless TO dispense them that the military
was summoned. In response to this call
force of cavalry and infantry came up
on the ground, but they refrained from
charging upon the multitude because the
people, awed by the presence of the
troops, had begun to disperce, and by
dusk com paratlvely few remained Two
hundred citizens and forty of the police
were I'M ured in the succession of melees
that took place, and about fifty of the
disturbers were arrested including Burns,
the socialist leader.
Several of the injured policemen are
suffering from knife wounds. 1t was no.
tIceable that the crowd, while hooting,
jee-ing and execrating the police, cheered
the military. The infantry was posted
In the middle of the square, so that the
mob should not take possession of the
square In case they succeeded in break
ing through the police line. It is per-
haps fortunate that they were prevented,
as it is believed that instructions had
been given that the riot act should be
read and the infantry fire on the crowd
the moment the latter should break
the police Gordon.
ALARGE PROCESSION
of the rioters arrived at a point near the
square by way of James Street and Pail
Mall about O'Clock, hooting the Carlton
club as they passed its house and cheer
ing the Reform when they reached its
quarters. When the crowd re ched the
Athen@um the police barred their further
progress and the officers in command
shouted, you can't go any further" The
crowd pressed on, however, and the pc
lice charged upon them with batons
drawn. The crowd resisted for moment,
but the onslaught of the police was too
much for them to resist and they fell
back. The police piled their clubs vigor
ously, broke down the banners carried by
the procession and trod upon them and
soon the mob was in full retreat. On
their way back the retreating crowd net
another procession en- route to the square,
and with this body the fleeing men re-
turned. Upon the arrival of the aug
mented crowd at the scene Of the first
fight, they were met by
AN INCREASED FORCE
of police and In a surprisingly short
space of time the Notwithstanding
mob was scattered in all directions. The
life guards then blocked the passage of
Pail Mall and cleared Carlton house ter
race. While all this was going on the
Prince of Wales was sitting in a cab near
by, unobserved by either the crowd or
the police. When the second procession
was broken up and scattered he directed
the cab TO be turned and driven to Mari
borough house, where he ordered some
thing to drink to be served to all the po-
licemen on duty near the house. The ex-
ample of the prince was followed by all
of the clubs on Pail Mall square, The po-
lice refuse bail for Conmoner Graham, IN
spite of his severe injuries. Most of the
prisoners are confined in the Bow street,
Scotland Yard and King street stations.
Between the hours of 4 and 6 o'clock,
seventy injured persons wsre treated at
the Charing Cross hos pital.